Where is your rug gallery located?

Paradise Oriental Rugs is located in Sebastopol, California. We are one hour north of San Francisco in Northern California, in Sonoma County about 15 minutes from the coast.

Can you ship out of state?

Absolutely. We ship rugs all over the US using UPS ground or Fed EX, with the rugs fully insured. You will be emailed the tracking and know exactly when the rug will arrive. If you have interest in a particular piece, I can send you more detailed photos or even create a short video in which you will be able to see the rug clearly from many angles. I also can assist you on choosing the correct size or type of rug for a particular room depending on the mood or overall look you want to achieve with your decorating concepts and colors.

What does On Approval mean?

This means that a client has secured payment for the rug and taken it home to ensure it works perfectly in their space. It also gives one the opportunity to see the rug in relation to the lighting and achieve a complete certainty on the purchase. We ship rugs to every state in the US, including Alaska. We do have the client pay the shipping but compared to the savings in sales tax, this is usually nominal.

Do you ship rugs on an "approval" basis?

Yes. Almost all the rugs shipped are on an "approval" basis but the good news I get very few rugs coming back. As mentioned above, if a video of the rug is requested, I can easily create one, with one or more rugs of interest.

Are all your rugs on this web site?

Mostly, yes but once in a while I'll miss one. Sometimes I will get a number of new rugs in all at once and I might overlook getting one or two pieces photographed. I try to update my site as often as possible but sometimes I get busy. If a rug is out on approval or recently sold, the site is usually updated at least every couple of days.

Why don't you have any prices on your web site?

Good question. I have not listed my prices as I want people to call me and ask questions or come into the shop to see the rugs in person. Every rug at my shop has a price tag and I am more than happy to give you the exact price of any piece that catches your eye. Feel free to give us a call. 707-823-3355

Why are some rugs more expensive and others priced so low?

The Oriental rug market changes, just as people's tastes change. What was popular in the rug world 20 or 30 years ago can be had for a song in some cases within the current market. An example would be the heavier carved Chinese rugs or mediocre pieces from India. Other rugs, being formerly under priced, now may command astronomical prices as evidenced by the Clark Sickly-Leaf Carpet that sold this year (2013) for $33.7 Million at Sotheby's Auction in New York. The former record was a carpet that sold at Christie's in London for $9.6 million in 2010.

What dictates the cost or value of an Oriental rug?

On new hand woven rugs, the following factors are quite influential:

Beautiful colors. Colors are the most important, second only to the artistic rendition of a good drawing or design

Quality of the wool and how it is produced. Better quality wool costs more than inferior wool. Spinning it by hand has higher labor costs than machine spun wool. See my article, "How to Buy an Oriental Rug".

Quality of the dyes and the skill with which they are applied. Vegetable or plant based dyes are more time consuming to work with and costlier to procure.

Skill of the weaving.

Availability.

Demand.

Cost of fuel as this affects shipping prices.

Cost of labor.

Value of the American dollar in international markets.

On antique pieces; condition, beauty, true verifiable age, rarity and market conditions all affect the value. The venue where it is sold and how well it is marketed also influence the price. The large auction houses in NYC and London have some of the most affluent buyers in the world so if a piece is museum quality these organizations would have the widest international audience and have the ability to command the highest prices.

Some of the rugs on your site are listed as perfect. What could that possibly mean?

It is only my opinion but when I have a piece that is just amazing, I will describe it as perfect. It's called magic. When a rug has it, EVERYONE can see it. There is no mystery at all.

How did you get into the rug business?

My interest in Oriental rugs started over 20 years ago when I purchased my first rug. When I brought it home I was fascinated by how it transformed my living room and added such beauty to my home environment. I decided right then and there I wanted to learn much more about rugs. For the next few years I was just VERY interested and started learning whatever I could from books, other dealers and so forth. I bought a number of small rugs, sold a few while continuing to learn, and eventually started this business in 1998. My first retail shop was in Santa Rosa, here in Sonoma County and my current location in Sebastopol was opened in the summer of 2006. Probably the reason I have so much fun working is I LOVE hand woven rugs and really enjoy sharing that with others. When I find the exact right rug for an individual it is quite satisfying.

Do you work with interior designers or interior decorators?

Yes, on a case by case basis. If you are an interior designer, please give me a call and we can discuss your needs. I have many resources for hand woven rugs in addition to the rugs on my site and can even have a particular rug woven if that is what is indicated. As my gallery has a strong emphasis on one-of-a-kind tribal rugs, I do best with interior designers that understand the types of rugs I offered.

Do you handle repairs or restorations of Oriental rugs?

Yes. You can bring your rug into the shop and I will explain the process or you can contact my recommended restoration expert directly.. (See my links page.)

Do you take credit cards?

Occasionally, I will agree to sell a rug on consignment if you live locally. I do not take consigned rugs from outside of the Bay Area. Also, I have to feel the rug would work well with what I am offering for sale. The rug must be clean and in very good condition. If you have a piece that you would like me to take a look at, the best way is to email me detailed photos with the size, age and any known provenance. See my ARTICLES page for information on how to sell your Oriental rug.

Do you take rugs in on trade at your gallery?

Honestly, rarely so that is mostly a no. I would only consider this if the rug offered fell within the parameters of what I am selling which leans heavily in the direction of tribal rugs woven with vegetable dyes. Do you buy old or antique rugs. Yes, sometimes.

How can I possibly understand rugs?

Look at them. Touch them. Read about them. If you are embarking on this journey online, then look at as many different rugs and types as you can. You will then get a feel for where your tastes lie. Additionally, the more rugs you look at in person or even online the more you will begin to notice the small nuances that make one rug great and another piece only mediocre. I have seen two rugs with similar construction and design wherein one piece was wonderful and the other a complete dud.

Why do you have two non-profit web sites on your home page?

These are two organizations I support and encourage others to also, if they are able. These sites are listed here for free. I have many visitors to my web site so this is my small contribution to these organizations as I feel strongly about protecting and restoring the environment and the survival of all life on this small planet.

Penny Krieger is the owner of Paradise Oriental Rugs, Inc., located in the San Francisco Bay Area in Sonoma County. Her gallery at 137 North Main Street , Sebastopol , CA , specializes in tribal rugs and carpets woven with hand-spun wool and plant based dyes with a strong emphasis on Persian tribal rugs. 707-823-3355 http://www.paradiseorientalrugs.com